The fight against child hunger has a new home in North Texas.
Children’s Hunger Fund (CHF), based in California, broke ground last month on a new facility in Prosper, about 25 miles north of Dallas, where an estimated 100 million meals will eventually be distributed to local children living in poverty.
The 85,000-square-foot facility, expected to open in 2026, will serve not only the local region but several neighboring states, according to CHF founder president Dave Philipps.
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The facility will include a 10,000-square-foot volunteer center, a 25,000-square-foot poverty encounter exhibit, a 30,000-square-foot community center and office space, and a 20,000-square-foot processing and storage space.
While the first phase, costing approximately $7 million, is fully funded, the second and third phases are still awaiting funding.
About 14% of residents in North Texas live in poverty, with roughly 20% of them being children, according to CHF.
Since its founding in 1991, CHF has collaborated with local churches and ministries to positively impact the lives of over 380 million children, distributing more than 750 million meals and over $2 billion in in-kind gifts.
“Our work in Texas began in 2009, and since expanding to the Dallas–Fort Worth area in 2016, we’ve seen the incredible potential this region holds to drive lasting impact,” Children’s Hunger Fund Senior Vice President Michael Richards told The Christian Post Wednesday.
Through its Rethink Mercy program, CHF offers training to churches on topics ranging “from salvation to poverty to the church’s role in extending compassion to those in need.” The free curriculum comprises nine lessons, spanning two hours of video content, designed for churches to share and equip their congregations.
“At Children’s Hunger Fund, we believe that meaningful change begins with trusted relationships. Local churches are essential to that vision,” Richards said. “We partner with churches and ministry leaders who are deeply rooted in their communities, equipping them with the training, resources, and support they need to serve families facing hardship with compassion and consistency.”
In addition to providing material resources, Rethink Mercy also addresses what CHF calls an “even more concerning type of poverty: spiritual poverty.” Using a unique home food delivery model, Rethink Mercy connects the local church with families in need, which “allows relationships to form” and the Gospel to be proclaimed, according to the CHF website.
Despite the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic, CHF saw its revenue triple from $49 million in 2016 to $134 million in 2022, primarily through in-kind contributions, according to Ministry Watch. The Prosper location, in fact, is part of CHF’s 2030 initiative, aimed at achieving “debt-free” ownership of its distribution facilities and establishing a national distribution model.
CHF believes the region’s central location, access to major interstate highways, and proximity to Dallas–Fort Worth International Airport make it an ideal hub for national and global distribution.
“Our new facility will significantly increase our capacity to deliver meals and hope across the South, Midwest, and beyond,” said Richards. “This new chapter is about more than operational growth. It’s about transformation — engaging new communities, inspiring the next generation to live with compassion, and sharing the love of Christ with families both near and far.”
